WILLIAMSBURG — Local representatives of the Virginia General Assembly all agreed that the latest session was a most unusual one, with many new faces elected to serve.
Sens. Ryan McDougle and Danny Diggs, and Dels. Amanda Batten, A.C. Cordoza and Chad Green, all Republicans, reflected on the 2024 General Assembly session during a post-legislative forum on Friday. The event was hosted by the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce at the Williamsburg Regional Library.
“It was a really weird year,” noted Batten, as senators and delegates navigated proposed legislation while getting to know new members of the General Assembly. Both Diggs and Green were among those who experienced their first session this year.
“What an adventure it was for me,” said Diggs, describing his first time in session as “an outstanding experience.”
“People really helped me on both sides of the aisle,” he said, though there was “a lot of give and take” as Republicans and Democrats ironed out details regarding new bills.
Green said he also felt his first time serving on the General Assembly was a positive one.
“I was one of 34 new delegates,” Green said. “I had a good session. It was very busy and action-packed.”
All five representatives met in January prior to the start of the session during a pre-legislative forum in which the chamber shared a list of priorities for 2024. Among the priorities were improvements in education to create a well-trained, skilled workforce; building talent pathways for in demand jobs; improving literacy skills for students; addressing the need for affordable housing for members of the workforce; increasing funding and access to broadband; and improving transportation.
Most of those topics were discussed or acted upon during the General Assembly session. McDougle said that education was “a focus for both parties,” with funding planned for teacher raises, though “how much additional money is the question.”
The General Assembly is set to meet again for a special session on May 13 to work on the budget, which has not yet passed.
“I’m sure not everyone will be ecstatic” about what is in the budget and how much, McDougle said, though he said he is confident they will be able to pass a budget focusing on priorities that everyone can agree on regardless of political party.
Legislators continue to grapple with how to handle learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the area of literacy. Workforce development is also an issue.
“We need to ensure businesses have the talent to make Virginia competitive in a variety of industries,” Batten said.
McDougle added that the commonwealth needs to do more to support community colleges by eliminating any red tape in order to better streamline the process of implementing more classes and programs.
“That’s something is really holding us back,” he said. “It’s a hindrance.”
Legislators are also working toward providing easier access to high-speed internet services to all Virginians.
“There are still a lot of people who aren’t working from an office,” McDougle said. “We need to make sure there is access to broadband because it is important for that.”
Fully 750 bills passed in the General Assembly this session, with Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoing more than 100 bills, a record for any governor. Working with a Republican governor and a Democrat-controlled General Assembly also posed challenges, all the local legislators agreed, noting that coming to a compromise is vital to move Virginia forward.
“It’s important that you have a genuine friendship with someone across party lines,” Batten said. “Most of us do that effectively. It makes the process go smoother.”
Brandy Centolanza, bcentolanza@cox.net
